Possibility (noun): a chance that something might exist, happen or be true.

I am lucky to have been given a glimpse of what life could look like when you open yourself up to possibility. What I mean by this is – staying open. Staying open and seeing what happens, seeing who or what crosses your path, seeing places and spaces and discovering things that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

When I moved to the city of Toronto for a brief period of my life, I had a choice – either let fear of the unknown hold me hostage in my little apartment, or I could show up and stay open. I chose the latter. It was a choice I had to make repeatedly, day in and day out, and some days I didn’t make it out of my apartment (or my head, for that matter). But I strove to choose courage over comfort more days than not, and that made all the difference.

Staying open is more of a mental practice.

It’s an internal shift that happens when we consciously decide to allow life to surprise us, that allows us to receive the gifts and opportunities put in our path that we so often miss because we’re not paying attention.

But there is a physical aspect of this as well –

putting yourself out there, stepping out into the world, either literally or figuratively. It could be as simple as taking walks in the neighbourhood, or saying hello to someone new; or it could look like applying for your dream job, volunteering, starting a business or sharing your art with the world.

Of course we aren’t necessarily going to find something profound every time. Sometimes there will be little or nothing; we apply for the job and never hear back, or we share a piece of our hearts on the internet and nobody responds.

But, most times, staying open is not about the big things.

It’s about finding the threads of joy and hope that connect us as humans – dazzling sunsets, the laughter of children, a new favourite song, a conversation about life and God with a friend.

It’s making eye contact with strangers and being given the subtle reminder that I, too, exist in this time and space; that for this brief moment, we are a part of each other’s worlds

The reminder that living, and feeling alive, and wanting more for life, comes true not in hiding ourselves away in our rooms, but in stepping out into the world, and being open to what we might find

That, at the very core – it comes down to our willingness to participate in life, to follow our dreams and curiosities and desires, no matter how small.

It comes down to courage. There are no two ways about it.

“Life expands in proportion to your courage” — Anais Nin.

I’ve seen the truth of this in my own life. When I have the courage to take action and move forward, life feels so much more expansive. The possibilities open up and life becomes so much bigger than my worries and anxieties. It reminds me too, that when life starts to feel small again, maybe it’s time to do something brave, to take a step out of my comfort zone.

Maybe sometimes all life requires is that we stay open. Maybe things pass us by because we don’t believe they exist or because they don’t look the way we envisioned in our minds. Life is uncertain, but that also just means it’s full of possibility.

I admit that staying open is not the easy choice.

In fact, for a lot of us it’s easier to stay closed off most of the time. But it’s something I strive to remind myself of often: stay open.

For as long as I can remember I’ve had a background sense of uneasiness in my life.

It’s an unnamable frustration that came from knowing I wasn’t doing all I could with my life.

Regardless of changes I’ve made in my career, friends, relationship and even location there was always this infuriating restlessness that told me I had more to do with my life… more to be.

If you’ve ever felt like this, you’re not alone.

More people than ever are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives.

So much so that it’s actually being researched.

One of the findings of the research (link here) shows that a lack of purpose can be detrimental to our health. And people who report having a sense of purpose in life are shown to have lower risks of mortality and heart disease.

A sense of purpose is clearly very important to living a good life.

It makes sense that so many of us are searching for it.

If you’re someone like me who’s still full of questions about your purpose in life I may have something that can help.

It’s a framework I happened upon during one of my many internet adventures. It helped me find some answers to the frustration and uncertainty in my life.

It’s a Japanese concept called Ikigai.

Ikigai roughly translates into “reason for being.”

When I went through this process for myself, I realized that it provided the perfect blend of our spiritual longings with the practical realties of the world.

It was through this framework that I realized my purpose. My reason for being is to use my talents and strengths to serve the expression of feminine power.

My Ikigai is to provide tools, insights and resources for women to grow and thrive. It’s rooted in my belief that the insights, experiences and talents of women and girls are essential to creating a thriving future.

If you’d like more help to get clarity on your purpose (including prompts and examples) then download your free guide below.

But it’s important to acknowledge that this isn’t some quick and easy solution to all our problems. It requires time and introspection.

You don’t have to force yourself to answer all the questions now. Just having an awareness of the right questions can help us to be open to insights and ideas that would probably otherwise not come into our life.

My Ikigai, my purpose, has become the north star of my life guiding me through the ups and downs of every day life.

It doesn’t guarantee a perfect life (nothing does). But, it does help orient us towards creating a life in alignment with our reason for being.

Four Steps to Your True Purpose

Download this FREE guide to find your purpose and start creating a life you’ll love.